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Marathon

Long distance endurance and strategy

While in Flatwater Racing events, paddlers race on a straight course, Marathon Racing involves paddling sleek racing craft over long distances, on either the flatwater of lakes, and dams, or the flowing water of a river. Traditional Marathon Racing competitions, like ICF World Cup and World Championships, involve a fixed flatwater course with regular portages, where the paddler must carry the canoe or kayak. Each race lasts approximately 3 hours.

Many popular marathons are raced down sections of river, where the paddler must negociate the currents, rapids or weirs, or else portage around these obstacles. Some of these events attract over 2000 athletes each year and are often run inseveral stages over several days.

DOCUMENTS can be found here.

ECA Competitions

2025 ECA Canoe Marathon Club ...
April 5. - 6. 2025, Rheine, GER
2025 ECA Canoe Marathon European ...
June 2. - 8. 2025, Ponte de Lima, POR
2026 ECA Canoe Marathon European ...
January 1. 2026, Pitesti, ROU
2027 ECA Canoe Marathon European ...
January 1. 2027, Mirandela, POR
All competitions

NEWS

BULLETIN – The 2025 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships

We are less than six months away from the 2025 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships which will be held in Ponte de Lima, Portugal, from 2nd to 8th June 2025. The Championships, organised in northern Portugal, will not be only dedicated to senior, U23, and junior paddlers, but will also include master competitions and paracanoe demonstration races.

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Mads Pedersen candidate for the World Games athlete of the year

Denmark’s Mads Brandt Pedersen in among the candidates for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2024.

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VIDEOS – 40th edition of the international Marathon of the gorges of the l'Ardèche

The International canoe marathon of the gorges of the l'Ardèche is one of the most popular and respected canoe marathons in the world. This year, it celebrated its 40th anniversary. See the videos below and get to know more about this sporting event in the picturesque French environment.
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